One example is Magnepan planar speakers. Nobody knows how to measure them ...

You either like the sound of Magnepan speakers, or you don't. And you buy accordingly. Magnepan speakers are one of the more popular choices, but fans are basically forced to rely on subjective impressions of them...

Reviewing Magnepan speakers, John Atkinson of Stereophile once admitted he did not know exactly how to measure them.

Magnepan must know something about correlating certain objective measurements with subjective listening impressions, or so I would guess. But AFAIK, anyone who "likes" the sound of Magnepan speakers cannot point to a slew of objective measurements in order to justify their admiration. People who have tried to measure them find that their measurements don't look very "good". They can only say that they "like" them (or not), or that they "seem to sound good" (or don't)...

When considering buying speakers like Magnepans, you simply decide to bite the bullet. Or not.

Problems accurately measuring dipole power response (Open in New Window)

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Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - Totem speaker - Bill the K 08:12:23 01/17/25 (18)

RE: Totem speaker - seancuster71@gmail.com 18:22:57 01/21/25 (0)

Where's LUMMY? - jimbill 22:47:57 01/18/25 (4)

Don't encourage him - M3 lover 07:19:12 01/20/25 (3)

RE: Don't encourage him - howard 14:09:47 01/24/25 (0)

I was speaking with tongue firmly in cheek. - jimbill 13:45:20 01/20/25 (1)

RE: I was speaking with tongue firmly in cheek. - mark.korda@myfairpoint.net 06:45:11 01/21/25 (0)

RE: Another Totem speaker - Bill the K 23:32:25 01/17/25 (4)

RE: Another Totem speaker - chocolate_lover 13:48:29 01/18/25 (1)

RE: Another Totem speaker - Bill the K 07:43:12 01/23/25 (0)

Measurements versus subjective listening- the eternal struggle. nt. - MWE 05:55:30 01/18/25 (1)

One example is Magnepan planar speakers. Nobody knows how to measure them ... - peppy m. 05:34:33 01/22/25 (0)

Totem optimizes for 30-degree off-axis response - Brian H P 12:52:07 01/17/25 (5)

RE: Totem optimizes for 30-degree off-axis response - seancuster71@gmail.com 17:59:10 01/21/25 (0)

Oops - Reply intended for E-stat - Brian H P 12:56:10 01/17/25 (3)

RE: Oops - Reply intended for E-stat - seancuster71@gmail.com 18:19:51 01/21/25 (0)

Ok - E-Stat 17:34:24 01/17/25 (1)

RE: Ok - seancuster71@gmail.com 18:22:50 01/21/25 (0)

"I don't know what the tests said." - E-Stat 09:09:22 01/17/25 (0)

Follow Ups

One example is Magnepan planar speakers. Nobody knows how to measure them ... - peppy m. 05:34:33 01/22/25 (0)

One example is Magnepan planar speakers. Nobody knows how to measure them ...

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